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Digital Marketing Wins at the Oscars

Lately, we’ve seen many of the old guard of traditional media moving more towards digital. The Super Bowl has gotten more digitally-savvy with more impressive cross-channel efforts than past years, and the Oscars are trying hard to take that even further. After the massive social engagement around last year’s show (anyone remember the “Angelina Jolie’s Leg” parody Twitter account?), the organization is taking steps to make the second-screen experience as engaging as the televised show.

The Oscars took several steps to create a more comprehensive digital experience this year by including strong encouragement of social media usage by celebrities, providing access to content almost in real time, and giving fans exclusive looks backstage. “We’re not doing social media to reach out to young kids,” says Josh Spector, the academy’s digital media director. “We’re doing it to connect with all Oscar fans.”

Let’s take a look at the Oscar’s digital efforts and a few takeaways that you could include in your own marketing.

Content Needs to be Timely

The Oscars introduced a new video streaming option that allowed fans to view show highlights like Anne Hathaway’s emotional acceptance speech (but not Jennifer Lawrence’s graceful tumble) just moments after they aired. The site also made it easy for viewers to share with friends on Twitter and Facebook to keep the conversation going.

Takeaway: Consumers expect to have content right when they need it. Nobody is interested in day-old Oscar highlights. We want them immediately. B2B customers are no different. Creating strong relationships with customers is all about providing the right information in the right context. Drip marketing campaigns are an easy way to engage with leads based on which pages they’ve viewed or which links they’ve clicked, delivering valuable content in near real time.

Make a Human Connection

The Oscars also realized that viewers want to make a human connection with the show. They want to see a personal side to all of the glitz and glamour. To create this human element, Twitter provided an opportunity for stars to take photos of themselves backstage during the show and instantly post them online to the Oscar’s Twitter handle. The social buzz was impressive, generating a formidable number of retweets and discussion.

Takeaway: B2B consumers desire this human connection just as much as the starstruck Oscar fans. Customers have become unresponsive to mass email blasts and expect to have marketing messages tailored to them on a personal level. Adding dynamic content to your email campaigns can add a personal touch, and segmenting your audience can provide opportunities for personalization and specificity.

Give Exclusive Access

The Oscars also provided behind-the-scenes features on their website. The site included multiple backstage camera angles, exclusive interviews, and a helpful live blog that monitored the trending discussions surrounding the event on Twitter. Rabid Oscars fans were able to devour massive amounts of content to their heart’s content.

Takeaway: B2B customers should be as transparent as the Oscars about what is happening behind the scenes. Give your customers a say in the direction of your product, proudly display your company’s personality, and always keep your customers in the know when it comes to your product roadmap.

How do you think the Oscars did in their digital efforts? Let us know in the comments below!